Lacing-hook.



L. S. MACDONALD.

LAGING HOOK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11, 1918.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

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LAGING-HOOK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LESTER SLATER MAG- DONALD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Beverly, in the county of Essex 5 and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lacing-Hooks, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to a lacing hook especially designed and adapted for use on ladies boots and shoes to prevent the clothing from catching in the hook and being torn thereby.

The present invention has for its object to provide a lacing hook of the character described, which possesses the function described, and which is constructed as will be described to render it commercially available for the purpose specified. T 0 this end, the lacing hook is made from a single piece of sheet metal and comprises a barrel member and a hook member, the barrel member being provided with a head to cover and substantially close it at one end and from which the hook member extends laterally, the said hook member having a turnedunder finger, which is designed to make contact with or be brought in close proximity to the shoe upper so as to prevent the entrance into the hook of the clothing of. the wearer of the shoe.

The hook member is preferably provided with curved side edges and with vertical and horizontal concavities, as will be described, to impart strength to the hook member and also to avoid sharp edges which would chafe or cut the lacing.

These and other features of this invention will be pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure l is a side elevation of a lacing,

hook embodying this invention. Fig. 2, a plan of the sheet metal blank from which the lacing hook shown in Fig. 1 is made. Figs. 3, 1 and 5, details to illustrate the different formations through which passes the blank shown in Fig. 2. Fig. (5, a section on the line 66, Fig. 3. Fig. 7, a section on the line 7-7, Fig. 1. Fig. 8, a section on the line 8-8, Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing a represents the barrel member of the improved lacing hook; I) the head which closes the upper end of the barrel; 0 the hook member, which Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 11, 1913.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914. Serial No. 789,239.

comprises an arm 10 extended from the head Z) at an angle thereto; a substantially vertical finger 12 extended substantially at right angles from the end of the arm 10 and a substantially horizontal finger 13 extend ed from the finger 12 toward the barrel a and substantially p rallel with the arm 10.

The lacing hook shown in Fig. 1 is made from the sheet metal blank 14:, shown in Fig. 2, by means of suitable dies, not shown, and in Figs. 3, 4t and 5, are illustrated the different steps through which the blank 14 passes in order to produce the lacing hook shown in Fig. 1. These steps may be briefly described as follows: The blank 14 is first pressed up into the form shown in Fig. 3, to form at the rear end the curved, upright flange 16 and at the front end the upright flange 17 and the intermediate portion or arm 10, which is curved downwardly from the head 5. On the next operation or step. the free ends of the curved flange 16 are brought. together or in close proximity to each other toform the cylinder or barrel a, and the head I), which covers one end time of, the said barrel being of smaller diameter than the said head, so that an annular shoulder 20 is formed, which is designed to rest on the leather or other material through which the barrel (1 is inserted. At the same time the barrel a is formed, the sides of the arm orintermediatc portion 10 of the blank are turned downwardly and the upright flange 17 is bent outwardly at its upper end and concaved transversely. In the next operation, the upper end of the flange 17 1s bent into a position substantially parallel with the arm 10 to form the horizontal linger 13 and the vertical linger 1.2, which latter is concavcd transversely, and at the same time the sides of the intermediate portion or arm 10 are still further curved outwardly and downwardly, so as to provide smooth or rounded edges.

The finger 13 occupies a position substantially in the plane of the shoulder 20, so that it will contact with the leather or other material or be brought in close proximity thereto, to form a closure for the hook and thus prevent the entrance of the trinnnings or other part of ladies skirts or dresses from being caught by the hook.

From the above description, it will be seen that the barrel is closed at its top by a head from which projects laterally the arm 10 of the hook, which arm is preferably curved transversely, and that the finger l3 and the vertical finger 12 are both concaved so as to strengthen them, whereby th hook member is made strong and durable so as to render it commercially available. The lacing hook above described, may be finished in any suitable or well-known manner. Furthermore, it will be observed that the lacing hook is free from sharp or cutting edges, so that the lacing can be drawn through the hook 'without danger of being cut or chafed.

Claims:

1. A one-piece sheet metal lacing hook of the character described, comprising a barrelmemberprovided at one end with a head integral with it and substantially closing the barrel at that end, and a hook member extended from and integral with said head and comprising an arm extended laterally away from said head, a flange extended from said arm substantially at right angles thereto, and a finger extended from said flange substantially at right angles thereto and toward said barrel substantially parallel with said arm, substantially as described.

2. A one-piece sheet metal lacing hook of the character described, comprising a barrel member provided at one end with an annular outwardly extending shoulder and with a head connected with said shoulder and substantially closing said barrel,

' said shoulder and head being integral with said barrel, and a hook member integral with said head and comprising an arm connected with said head and extended laterally awa'y therefrom, a flange extended from said arm at an angle thereto, and a finger extended from said flange at an angle thereto and toward said barrel substantially in the plane of said shoulder, substantially as described.

3. A one-piece sheet metal lacing hook of the character described, comprising a barrel member provided at one end with an outwardly extended shoulder and with a head integral with said shoulder and said barrel and covering the latter, and a hook member comprising an arm integral with at right angles thereto, and a finger extended from said flange substantially at right angles thereto and toward the side of saidbarrel member from which the said arm extends and substantially parallel with said arm, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LESTER SLATER MACDONALD.

Witnesses:

JAs. H. CHURCHILL, J. MURPHY.

Copiea or this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

